Conveyer structure for ovens



Jan. 9, 1940. E, A, ALBRIGHT 2,186,566

- CONVEYER STRUCTURE FOR OVENS Filed Dec. 9, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 9, 1940. ALBRlGHT 2,186,566

- I CONVEYER STRUCTURE FOR OVENS Filed Dec. 9, 1937 4 Sheets-Shet 2 E. A. ALBRIGHT 2,186,566

' CONVEYER STRUCTURE FOR OVENS Filed Dec. 9, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 1HIMHHIHHUHIHH LlIIll]IIIIHIIIIHHHHHHH"I Jan. 9, 1940.

E. A. ALBRIGHT coNvEYER' STRUCTURE FOR OVENS Filed Dec. 9, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 f a M 5 Patented Jan. 9, 1940" v a ooNvEvER- s'rR o'rURs FoR ovens corporation of Illinois lidward A. Albright, lierwyn," 'assignorfto. 1 Caspers ,Tin' Plate jCompany, j Chicago, fl ll.,f a;

Application member s, its'ils'erial No. 178355 When the conveyer was-pushed-through the tunnel by the driveat the workinlet end, the expanded portion in the tunnel would pile up and. buckle. If the conveyer was of-the type carrying fingers or racks for receiving the work there; between, an-added drawback was encountered'ini that the expansion-of the conveyer would -dis-' place the fingers or racksentering the tunnel thereby making it almost impossible totime the feeding ofwork'between theracks.

As a result, ithas been the practice to pull work-conveyers through heating tunnels from the v I ovens. v

work discharge and of the tunneL v Since apparatus fo'r'feeding the Work to the c'o'n'veyer must be located at the work inlet end 30 work conveyer or a long drive shaft was used extending the entire length of thetunnel. Separate prime movers .are expensive and diflicult to place in exact synchronous operation. A long drive shaft is objectionable because the torque developedtherein effects a jerky or whip-like movementl v l This invention "owprovides for the driving of a feeding apparatus and a-work conveyer at the work inlet end of a-heating tunnel from a single prime mover; l i According to this invention, a. pair of horizontal tracks are provided in an"o'venor heating tunnel for supporting looped, sprocket chains. The horizontal tracks are mounted .topermit expansion and contraction thereof due" to temperature changes. The sprocket chains are entrained between sprocket gears atthewends of. 50' the tunnel and have their upper runs supportedon the horizontal tracks. The links of the chains have work supporting .racks secured' thereon.

These racks extend between the chains. =The sprocket' jgears'at the-'workinlet-end of the-tunnel are drivenirom a prime mover that 1; Claims. m ght-134) j 1 '-mounted for longitudinal and'rotative movement. These curved track members support the chains that portion thereof disposed in the tunnellfl 1 ofthe tunnel,- either separate prime movers'were required to drive the feeding apparatus and the Aiurther bject of this invention is to provid piling up of movable conveyer structure in the apparatus, driven by a single prime mover," for also drives apparatus for feeding Workto the.

racks/iThe sprocket gearsfat. the work outlet end of .the' tunnel are urgedaway from the; work inlet end by spring means to maintainthe upperrluns ofithe chains-in a taut condition. 'I', 5 7

- Npair of curved track members are pivoted to the horizontal track members at the work inlet end-of the tunnel' andhave their freeends between the drivingspro'ckets and the horizontal. tracks and permit'expansionan'd contraction of: the horizontal tracksg. 11 The invention will be hereinafter specifically described as embodied. in a lithographing oven wherein the workcomprises inked, ename1ed,-orlacquered metal sheets. The sheets are" coated byicoating rolls, deposited on a' feeding ap'para tusand fed directly into the conveyerhracks-on which they are carried through the oven tohave the coatings'thereon dried. .A single prime-mover drives the coating rolls, the feeding apparatus and the oven conveyer. It shouldbe understoodf. however, that .the invention is not limited for use on a lithographing oven but is adapted for .5.,

embodiment in all types of heatingtunnels' or -/'It is then an object of this inventio'n toj provide a work conveyer for heatingtunnels adapted to be driven at the workrinlet end of the tunnelv A further. object of this invention is to ,pro-

videca' conveyer. system for ovens that "permits free expansion" and contraction of the ,cohstitu ent parts without interfering with theoperation and efiiciencyof the system.

apparatus for "conveying work throughheating. tunnels .that'iis Zclriven at the Work inlet end of the tunnel and can freely expand. or contract undertemperature;variations without causing a tu nel-.1; U 1 1 .Another. object of this invention is to'provide awork inlet end drive for oven conveyers'. f

A further object-of this invention is to provide coatingsheet material, for conveying the coated:

sheet materiallintoia rack conveyer, andforoperating the rack'c'onveyer; s v k Other and further objects of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from v th'e follo'wing detailed description of the annexed is: I

Figure 3 isan enlarged fragmentary side-ele vational view of the work receivingendof a C011: veyer structure according to this invention.

Figure 4 is a front elevational'viewjof the track structure for the conveyer of this invention." J

Figure 5 is a front 'elevational view of a rack forming part of the conveyerstructure.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, with parts in elevation, taken along the" line ,VI-VI of Figure;8..

Figure. Ga'is a fragmentary cross sectional .view, with parts in elevation, taken VI.-A,VI-A of-Figure8.. t

Figure leis a fragmentary top plan View the :work discharge end ,of the conveyer structure according, to this invention.

Figure 8 is. a top plan view, with parts broken away and shown .in vertical cross section, of. a

portion of the conveyer structure.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary top plan detail vie of a. horizontal track in the oven showing the track mounting. I

As shown on the drawings: i v

In Figures 1 to 4 inclusive,. the reference numerals i0 designate angle irons forming a rectangular base for the oven. Uprights l I extend.

fromthe angle irons l0 and carry, in spaced relationfrom the top thereof, a' pair of horizontal angle irons l2.

Transverse angle members l3 aresecured .to

the tops of the uprights H. and horizontal angle members 14 are. carried on'thetransverse mem bers l3 in a manner to be hereinafter more. fully described.

The oven or tunnel 45,, as shown. in Figures 1 and 2, is built around thethus formed frame structure... Heating means (not posed in the tunnel. 1

At the work inlet end of the tunnel or oven, the base angle members 53' extend beyond the first upright H and carry at their ends shorter uprights I3. Horizontal angle members H" are, carried on top of the short uprights l8 and are secured to the first uprights H. Sloping beams or angle irons I8 extend between the firstuprights H and the. front ends of the base angle irons H] as shown, for a purpose toibe more fully hereinafter described. a

Bearing housings-l9 are bolted on the sloping beam members W for rotatably carrying a shaft. 23 extending between the beam members. Sprocket gears 21 are fixedly ,secured' on the shaft 20 between the beam members l8.

' As best shown in Figures 2' and '7,- the'horie zontal angle members l2 carry, near the, rear endsthereof, bracket members 22 having elonshown) are disgated slots 22a'therein andvertical legs .23 at.

Bearing housings 25 areboltedontowthe bracket members 22 and .rotatably: supportaeshaftfifi along the line .14 relative to the frame structure including having sprocket gears 21 fixedly secured thereon between the angle members l2.

Angle brackets 28 are bolted on the members 12 in spaced relation behind the vertical legs 23 of the brackets 22.

Rods 29 extend through the vertical legs of the brackets 23 and 22 and. have the inner ends thereof bolted on the vertical legs 23 of the brackets 22 by means of nuts 30. g

Coiled springs 31' are disposed'a'rbund'the rods 29 in back of the vertical legs of the brackets 28;

"Washers 32 are disposed around the rods 29 in abutting. ,rel'ationto the outer ends of the springs 3!. vNuts 33 are threadedon the ends of the rods'toiurge the washers 32 against the springs 31 for maintaining the springs under compres- It isobvious that when the springs 3| are under compression the brackets 22 will be drawn towardthe brackets 28 thereby moving the shaft ZEIandthe sprocket gears 2'1 thereon toward the end of vthesupport members I2 andaway from;

a. portion thereof disposed over-the horizontal legs of the angle members M. The clamps. 35 are bolted to the cross members ;I3 and uprights H but permit sliding movement of the members the cross members l3. The tracks 34 can thus freely expand and C011.- tract due to changes in temperature Without straining or distorting any of the frame parts since the tracks and their supporting members 54 can slide relative to the frame. The ends of thetracks 34 at the work inlet end of the even have curved, track members 31 pivoted thereon as at 38 (Figure 3).

The curved track members 31 extend from the tracks 34 toward the. sprocket gears 21 and have theirlower ends slotted as at 39..

Anangle member ll], shown in Figures 3 and. his secured to the sloping beam. members is intermediate-the sprocket gears 2| and the uprightsll, and extends between the beams l8.

Arms A are secured on theangle member 43 and are spaced from each other by an angle The curved track members 31 thus can haveslidab-le and rotatable movement with respect to the arms 4!. Therefore as the tracks 34 expand the same may slide relatively to the frame on which they are mounted as pointed out above and the elongation-of the tracks 34 merely moves the curved track members about their pivot points and. along. the slots to compensate for the expansion.

As best shown in Figuresl to Sandi, endless sprocket chains 45 are trained: around the sprocket gears-2i and 2 and havetheir upper runssupported on the curved tracks 31 and horizontal tracks 34.. I ASgShOWn in Figure 8,. the chains 45 comprise outerlinks, 4,6 and innerdinks; 4,! having. GYliII-e drical stationary or roller portions 48 ridii1g on topof the tracks 34 and '31. 'Thesides of the links 46and 41 abut the sides-of the tracks and.

10" on the tops thereof and extending inwardly at right angles therefrom.-

Metal ribs 5| extend between the chains 45. These ribs 5l have tab portions 52 .atthe ends thereof and intermediate tab portions 53 extend- 15? ing normal to the ribs.

iThe-end'tab portions52 are mounted ontop of the ears 50*of the chain links.

' Rack members such as 54, shown in Figure 5, are-carried between the chains 45 on the rib 201 members 5L" Each rack member 54 comprises a U-shaped rod or bar 55 and intermediate rods or bars 5fi-extending between the base of the U 'anda tab 53 of arib 5|.

As best shown in Figures 6 and"8, the side legs of the 'U-shaped member 55 extend through openings in the'tab members 52v of the ribs 5| and also extend through the ears 50 of the chain links. The endsof these legs of the U-members 55. are then peened over as at 51 (Figure 6) to holdthe U-members'onto the ribsand chains;

As shown in Figure 6, the ends of the U-members 55 can be reducedin size as at 58 to provide shoulders 59 for seatingon top of the tab members52;

The reinforcing members 56 of the racks 54 J are secured at one end thereof tothe base of the U-member 55 and at the other end thereof to the intermediate tab members 53 of the ribs 5! as shown in Figures 6a, and 8; 1 The racks 54 are thus secured onto the rib members and onto the chain links.

The intermediate tabs 53 can have the central portions cut away as shown at 60 in Figure 8, so that these tabs fit around the rods '56 of the 45- next rack member. R

, The tabs 52 and 53 of the ribs fit on top of the corresponding tabs in the next succeeding rib and may be tilted upward slightly as shown at El in Figures 6 and 6a so as'to more easily fit 5 over the adjacent tabs on the next rib member. Thisupward tilt also serves another function that will'be hereinafter described. I As shown infFigure 1, a coating machine 10 comprising a trough H for paint, ink or enamel,

3 a supply roll 12 a coating roll 13 and a work feed roll 14 is mounted in spaced relation in front of the work inlet end of the oven.

Work Wain the form of metal sheets, is passed over the .roll 14 and receives a coating of ink, enamel, or'paint' thereon from the roll 13. The work W is deposited on an endless conveyer belt 15 and fed directly from the belt onto a rack 54 of the oven conveyer system, A single prime mover 16 drives a shaft ll hav- 5 ing a gear 18 thereon which drives the coating machine 10. A gear train including gears 19, driven by the coating machine, drives the endless belt 15.

The shaft 11, as best shown in Figure 4has 7 a sprocket gear 8llthereon which drives a chain 8|. The chain in turn drives a sprocket gear 82 of a speed reducer 83. The speed reducer 83 is coupled at to the shaft 20 having the sprocket gears 2l, secured thereon for drivingthe oven 75 conveyer system.

through'the cylindricalportions 48 and pivotally curved track'memb'ers. 1 I a The singleprime mover 16 therefore drives the coating machine 10', the feeding belt 15 and the oven' conveyer system. v

All threeg'apparatuses are thus synchronized exactly by various gear reductions. w I Since'theconveyer chains are looped around the sprocket gears' 2l and '21 and the spring members3l urge'the sprocket gears 21 away from the sprocket gears ZL'the cQnVeyer chains are 7 maintainedin a desired taut condition .irrel0 spective of lengthening of the upper run thereof due to expansion of the chains when the sameare heated in the oven.. The track'structure supporting the upper runof the chains is. allowed to contract and expand freely by virtue of the mounting in the oven and the pivoted The upward tapered portions 6| of the tab members 52' and 53 'supports the work W in'a tilted position so as to tilt backward against the racks 54, The tabs 52 and, 53 also serve as spacers to hold the racks in proper spaced relation as they are pushed through the tunnel.

From the above descriptions'it should be understood that this invention provides for the driving of-fwork conveyers' through heating tun-- nels from the work-inlet end of the tunnel.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of thisinvention, and I,. therefore, .do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

ing means thereonadapted to abut adjacent work supports along theupper run of the chains, resilient means urging the gears at one end ofthe tracks away from the gears at the other end of the tracks and means for driving. said gears at said other end of the tracks to push the chains along the track; said'driving means located adjacent the driven gears and the resiliently urged gears being free from driving connections. 60

2. A workconveyercomprising a pair of horizontal tracks in spaced parallelrelation, a pair of short inclined tracks cooperating with the same. ends of the horizontal tracks, sprocket gears at each end of the tracks, endless sprocketchains 55 trained around the sprocket gears and supported along their upper runs on the tracks, spring means urging the gears at one end of the tracks away from'the gears at the other end of the tracks to maintain the chains therebetween in a taut condition and means driving the sprocket gears at the other ends of the tracks for pushing the chains along the tracks, said driving means located adjacent the driven gears and the spring urged gears being free from driving connections.

a i 3. In a tunnel having a workinlet and a work 3 outlet at opposite ends thereof,-a track frame allowing an expansion and contraction of the tracks relative to the frame, a pair of short track members pivoted to the tracks at the work inlet end of the tunnel, means slidably carrying the v free ends of the'short track members, a drive shaft rotatably mounted in front of the free ends of the short track members, sprocketqgears secured on the drive shaft in alignmentwith the tracks, a pair of sprocket gears rotatably mounted at the work discharge end of the tunnel in alignment with the tracks, looped sprocket chains trained between the sprocket gears at opposite ends of the tunnel and supported onsaid tracks along the upper runs thereof, and work supporting means mounted on the chains and extending therebetween. I

4. A work conveyer for heating tunnels comprising spaced parallel horizontal tracks adapted to' extend through a heating tunnel, curved track members pivotally mounted to one end of said horizontal tracks and extending downwardly therefrom, said curved track members having slotted free ends, pins disposed in the slots of said curved track members for supporting the same, a pair of driven sprocket gears disposed in front of said curved track members at the lower ends thereof, an additional pair of sprocket gears at the other end of the horizontal tracks'in' alignment with the tracks, endless sprocket chains trained between said gears and supported along their upper runs on the tracks, and means driving the sprocket gears adjacent the curved track members for pushing the chains through a heating tunnel.

5. A conveyer structure comprising spaced on top of the ears and racks'carried on said rib members, said tab portions of the ribs adapted toabutthe adjacent racks for holding the racks inspaced relation.

7. A conveyer system for a heating tunnel having a work inlet and a work outlet at opposite ends thereof which comprises, a track frame in said tunnel, spaced horizontal tracks extending through said tunnel and supported on said track frame, sprocket gears rotatably mounted on said track frame at the ends of said tracks, means for driving the sprocket gears at the work inlet end of the tunnel, endless sprocket chains trained between said gears and supported along their upper runs on said tracks, rib members extending transversely between said chains having tabs disposed at right. angles thereto, racks secured to said tabs, the tabsof successiveribs overlying,

theadjoining tabs and adaptedto abut theadjoining racks whereby said racks are held in proper spaced relation as the same are pushed through the heating tunnel.

8; Ida work conveyer system for heating tunnels, a pair of spaced parallel horizontal tracks adapted to extend through a heating tunnel, a pair-of curved short track members pivoted to the same ends of the horizontal tracks and extending downwardly therefrom,said short tracks having slotted lower ends, supporting means slidablymounted in said slotted ends of the shorttracks for supporting said ends, and looped chains supported along their upper runs on said horizontal tracks and on said curved tracks whereby longitudinal expansion of the horizontal tracks due to heat in the tunnel merely efiects a sliding of the short tracks on saidsupporting means.

9. A rack type endless conveyer adapted to be pushed through a heating tunnel comprising, a

pair of spaced-parallel horizontal tracks, link.

transverse rib members having end tab portions mounted on the ears of the chain links and intermediate tabportions extending in the same direction as the end tabs, conveyer racks having end legs extending through the end tabs and ears to join the rib with a pair of ears and to secure the racks to the chain links, and additional legs on saidracks between the end legs secured to the intermediate tabs of the rib member, all of said tabs adapted to thrust against the legs of a preceding rack and form a work support between the. racks.

11. A conveyer structure comprising a pair of spaced parallel looped link. chains, vertical rib portions extending transversely between the chains and secured at their endsthereto, inc'li'ried 'tab portions extending .forwardl'y from the transverse rib members along the length of the rib members, conveyer racks having a pluralit'y of legs secured in said tab portions adjacent the vertical transverse ribs and said tab portions adapted to thrust against the legs of a preceding rack for forming inclined work supports between the racks to hold the work in a tilted position.

EDWARD A. ALBRIGHT. 

